SERVING THE BACK MOUNTAIN - hai 1889 yi 1993 " The Dallas Post FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY @/ cl. 104 No. 11 ’ Dallas, PA Wednesday, March 17, 1993 J 35 Cents Inside ¢ Story Huntsville Historic District gets thumbs up from state museum personnel. Now, forms must be filled out and sent to make it official. With a map of the historic homes. Page 3. Daffodil Days have taken on a new signifi- ‘cance for American Cancer Society volunteer Q Helen Kishbaugh, since family members have been struck by the dis- ease. Page 3. Water rates may go down, if a new proposal to consolidate Back Moutain companies with one in “Dauphin County are ‘approved. Page 8. Life members are honored by Arts at Hay- field. Page 6. Brian Morgan won the right to advance to the state wrestling toura- ment. Page 9. New gym and com- plete sports/health complex at College Miseri- cordia will be dedicated Saturday. Page 9. Black Knights send @ boys' and girls' basketball teams to state playoffs Page 9. Off to see the wizard. Lake-Lehman High School Players will present a musical for the first time in 10 years. Page 13. 16 Pages 2 Sections Calendar...........o 13 Classified........ 14-15 Editorials... 5. 4 (of VN BGYCTLVAR FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING A storm to remember HELPING OUT - Dan Davies attacked Route 118 in Dallas Town- ship with his snowblower several times over the weekend. He was Dallas district losing $1000's, director says Board president pledges new policy By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff As the result of a school direc- tor's questions about tax collec- tions, changes in the way that Dallas School District collects its school taxes are planned for late spring The district presently doesn't have a tax collectors’ policy on how often payments must be made to the district, which has caused Dallas school director Clarence Michael to complain that the dis- trict is losing money in interest income. Michael is currently running for tax collector in Dallas Town- ship. “We have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest from the tax collectors’ holding onto school taxes for up toamonth before they turn them over to us,” Michael said. “Iwas flabbergasted to find that we aren't earning any interest on this money. Interest income could have funded textbooks and more activities for the students. We could have had an easier time balancing our cafeteria budget.” Dallas school district's finan- cial manager Charlotte Williams said the district generates approxi- mately 10,000 tax bills, spread out over four municipalities: Dal- las Borough and Kingston, Dallas and Franklin townships. The dis- trict pays for printing of the tax bills, envelopes and postage. The tax collectors separate the duplicates, stuff the envelopes and turn them in to the district to be mailed. When the money comes in, it is deposited to the tax collector's official account and paid to the district on the tenth of the follow- ing month, as required under state law. Williams said some tax collec- See DALLAS DISTRICT, pg 8 POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK helpirig keep the roadway open, because high winds drifted snow across it almost as soon as it was cleared by plows. Other districts earn interest, require timely deposits By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff The absence of a policy for tax collectors to follow has prompted Dallas School District to study how other school districts handle their tax collections. Lake-Lehman School District generates more than 13,000 tax bills, with 12,709 collected last year. The tax collectors are paid $2.50 per bill and use First Eastern, Mellon and Merchants banks for their business checking accounts, according to financial man- ager Ray Bowersox. “I doubt that these are interest-bearing accounts because the balance is run too low too often,” Bowersox said. According to state law, all school taxes must be turned in to the district by the 10th of the month following their collection; however in the late 1970's, the board learned that the district could require more frequent payments from the tax collectors. Each year Bowersox sets up a deposit schedule; for example between July and January the tax collectors must make between 12 and 13 payments to the district. Some tax collectors make more frequent payments, with the busiest time being close to the end of the rebate period, between six and nine weeks after the date that the tax bills were sent out, Bowersox said. Local tax collectors may set up their official accounts in the bank used by their respective municipalities. Lake-Lehman expects to earn $150,000-$155,000 in interest See TIMELY DEPOSITS, pg 8 Lake-Lehman High musicians gain honors By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff For only the second time in the district's history, Lake-Lehman High School will be represented at the All-Eastern Conference Re- gional concert, an elite group of high school musicians from 11 northeastern states. The district will also be repre- sented at State Band, composed of one-half of one percent of all high school musicians in Penn- sylvania. Selected by their high scores at last year's State Band auditions, saxophonist Robert Trescavage wili play in the All-Eastern band, while trumpeter J.C. Link will join the orchestra in concerts Sun- day, March 21 in Springfield, MA. “It's really neat,” Link said. “I'm looking forward to meeting other music students from all over the northeast.” Link, trombonist Jason Poplaski and alto clarinetist Johanna Miller will play in thc State Band concert [71 17 in Wilkes-Barre. “Iwas surprised, but I feel really good about being able to play,” said Trescavage, who plans to major in music at college. The state band competition was especially challenging forJohanna Miller, who knew before the audi- tions that she would have to come in first in order to be accepted. “It wasn't that bad,” she laughed. “Eastern Conference is. the highest that a music student can go. There isn't any national cem- petition,” said band director Ed Richards. “I'm very proud that these kids have gone this far in their high school musical careers.” In order to compete for All- Eastern Conference, students must first be accepted to District Band or Orchestra, Regionals, then States, Richards said. Lake-Lehman sent more stu- dents to regionals this year than any other participating school, some of which have music depart- ments and bands four times the size of Lake-Lehman's, he added. POSTPHOTO/GRACER DOVE THE BEST IN THE EAST - Lake-Lehman music students Robert Trescavage, left, and J.C. Link, right, will represent their school at the All-Eastern Conference band and orchestra festival March 21 at Springfield, MA. Additional photo, page 8. By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff The Blizzard of ‘93 will be remembered for its intensity and two-foot snow accumulation. It also will be recalled for the coop- eration of residents, road crews and emergency service personnel who braved the fierce winds and blinding snow to bring vital serv- ices to those in need. As the worst snowstorm in more than a century roared through the area Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14, life in the Back Mountain came to a standstill. Blizzard of '93 photos, Page 16 The Back Mountain resembled a ghost town for the entire week- ~ end; most businesses closed Fri- day night and didn't reopen until Monday. By dinnertime Friday night, local supermarkets were nearly cleaned out of everything; cus- tomers with shopping carts over- loaded with everything from cof- fee to cat food good-naturedly joked among themselves as they stood in long checkout lines that wound through the aisles. The snow began around 4 a.m. Saturday, quickly making roads treacherous, even for four-wheel drive vehicles. Only all-terrain vehicles pulling skiers or snow- tubes, hardy hikers, a few Jeeps ~and cross-country skiers braved See STORM, pg 8 Principal cleared of charge By DAVE KONOPKI Sports Correspondent Anthony Martinelli never felt that he had to appear in court to prove his innocence. He just wanted a chance to clear his name. District Justice Earl Gregory dismissed harassment charges against the Dallas Middle School principal last Friday afternoon. The charges stemmed from an incident on January 8 between Martinelli and a 14-year-old stu- dent, William Jones, in the school's cafeteria. “I feel great,” said a smiling Martinelli moments after hearing Gregory's decision. “I was never concerned about the charges. I knew that I didn’t do anything wrong. We had avery good chance of having the charges dismissed (before the hearing) but I wanted to testify and tell my side of the story.” The student testified that Marti- nelli had grabbed him by the upper chest and threw him to his seat. Two other students testified on behalf of the youthful plaintiff. The student was taken to the emergency room at Nesbitt Me- morial Hospital later in the day where he was treated for a “super- ficial scratch” on his chest. There was no testimony given which stated that Martinelli caused the scratch. Martinelli, who faced a $300 fine if convicted, testified he saw the boy standing over another student, apparently grabbing a slice of pizza from the individual. Martinelli testified that he “redi- rected” the student and “grabbed him by the arm and put him in his seat.” During cross-examination by Dallas Township patrolman Brian Feeney, Martinelli stated that he grabbed the student by the arm, not the chest or ribs which the students had testified. Before Martinelli took the stand, Dallas Middle School teacher Michael Pollack testified as an eyewitness to the incident. Pol- lack stated that Martinelli ap- proached the student from be- See PRINCIPAL, pg 2
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers